Flora of the Venezuelan Guayana

Lianas, the branchlets terete to subtetragonal, without interpetiolar glandular fields, often with a ridge between opposite petioles; pseudostipules lacking or foliaceous; often with a clove odor vegetatively. Leaves 2- or 3-foliolate; terminal leaflet often replaced by a simple or trifid tendril. Inflorescence an open or contracted axillary or terminal panicle. Calyx small, cupular, subtruncate, usually 5-denticulate; corolla white, often tiny, ± funnel-shaped, bilabiately split about half its length, puberulous outside. Anthers glabrous, subexserted, the thecae divaricate, bent at the middle and reflexed forward. Ovary conical, densely puberulous; ovules 2-4-seriate in each locule. Fruit a ± compressed linear capsule, the valves parallel to the septum, flat with a slightly or conspicuously raised margin. Seeds flat, 2-winged with hyaline-membranous wings.

The only Venezuelan collection, Gentry & Berry 14503 (MO), is sterile and more glabrescent than other material of the species. The type is from Guyana, not far from the Venezuelan border. The conspicuously winged puberulous fruit is very distinctive.